Monarchs of the Nightmare Realm
by Radiant Shooketh
Summary: Some Hollow Knight one shots. In terms of chronological order, it's probably gonna be out of order, jumping around time and stuff. Or maybe not... I'll see if I want to do that. Just bear with me, guys. The primary focus of these one shots will be about Grimm and his daughter, Scarlet.
1. Blazing scarlet flame

"Master, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Well, of course. I don't have any doubts about this, so why should you?"

"Master! This child will be produced by a small portion of your flame. This process is very risky. Complications may occur. Did you know that many generations ago, one of the predecessors almost perished while producing a spawn?"

"Yes I am well aware, Divine. But I know what I'm doing. Please, calm down."

"Master Grimm! If you perish, you will have no one to replace you and as a result, the Heart would have to produce another troupe master. There is no need to waste the Heart's precious resources."

"You believe I shall perish from this? Do me a favour and _perish_ that thought, I will be fine. The Heart will have unlimited flames from the other realms, Divine. Rest assured of that."

"Brumm, can you believe this?"

Beside her, Brumm plays his accordion. The same drowning that echoes throughout the tent every time. Divine huffed in indignation, crossing her arms.

"Oh, would you stop playing that? I need your input on this!" She ordered. After finishing the segment of the song that he was playing and chose to pause at the appropriate moment, Brumm turned to their direction

"If the Master says he knows what he's doing, then it's true." Brumm resumed playing. "You don't doubt Master Grimm, do you?"

"O-of course not!"

Despite being super stubborn, Grimm managed a chuckle under his mask. He understands her concerns of him. Grimm, Brumm, annd Divine are very close friends. They have been in the troupe for a very long time and a strong bond was forged, as a result.

"Please don't worry, Divine," Grimm said gently. "I will be fine."

She bowed her head. "Of course, Master. I have no doubts about that. Forgive my annoyances. It's just worrisome, sometimes. For any parent, having a child is quite nerve wracking and risky."

"Quite so," he agreed.

Grimm cupped his hands together and closed his eyes, focusing all his energy on creating the flame. Divine held her breath as her eyes drifted off into the gestures Grimm was doing. Even Brumm had stopped playing his according mid song and shuffled beside Divine to watch as his master got to work. They both saw the form come into view. Red in colour was the body of the small larva, and white blank eyes. They saw Grimm clearly working strenuously to form the complete body of the child.

Finally, the flames around the child subsided and there, emerged the small dark form of the now completed child. A small grey body, a super tiny adorable dark head with short horns, dark eyes, and four wings in their earliest stage. It could barely fly, so Grimm had to hold it delicately in his hands.

Divine squealed in delight. "Look at them, they're so cute! Such a small creature!"

Grimm could only smile in response. He had done it - he had created a successful spawn, praise the Heart.

"Mrmm. The child… It's a girl, is it not?" Brumm pointed out. Divine quickly looked at the small child and widened her eyes.

"Oh, that's right! Look Master, her tail at the bottom." She pointed at its dark tail. "See how it curves up like that? This indicates that it is indeed female."

"Ah, I see. Incredible."

"Ahhh, yes. A female spawn. Quite the rare occurrence of the Grimm Troupe. I believe there has only been one other female spawn before yours ever, Master. A fine young lady she will grow up to be, taking on the role of a successful Nightmare King."

"Indeed."

"What shall you name her, Master?" Divine asked excitedly.

"Name her? Hmmm."

In the troupe tradition, every master ever had been called Grimm. Even the only female Master that Divine had mentioned had been called Grimm. It was entirely optional to name the spawn and the name 'Grimm' had stuck around since.

"Scarlet," he finally said.

"Princess Scarlet of the Nightmare Realm. I love it!" Divine chirped.

"Scarlet… Mrmm, a fitting name. I like it."

"_My little Scarlet flame…" _


	2. Kindle of the Lantern

With Scarlet born, Grimm knew what he had to do.

To ensure that she properly grows, they will have to travel to dead realms and collect the lingering scarlet flames that stain the kingdoms of the fallen. With those flames, empowers the Heart and from that, helps Scarlet to grow. Scarlet was but a few days old but if flames were to be collected for the Heart, the power of those flames will speed up her growth exponentially. The only problem was that the troupe had to be physically summoned to a dead kingdom by an acolyte lighting one of the many Nightmare Lanterns that exist. Until then, the Heart will collect Nightmare Essence from all worlds and Scarlet will grow at a rather slow pace.

In the Nightmare Realm, King Grimm stood outside the palace balcony, staring off into the nothingness of red all around. He let out a small exhale; it could be a long time until they were summoned to a kingdom.

Right now was a waiting game.

Grimm felt something settle in between his tall red horns. He smiled and his hand automatically went for his head to gently scratch the small head of Scarlet. "Worry not, my child. I will ensure that we collect flames for you." Scarlet mewled softly in response and wrapped herself up in her premature wings, settling for a nap. Grimm chuckled softly and retracted his hand before leaning against the rail of the balcony, leaving Scarlet alone for her nap. She'll be needing her rest. The Ritual is a very exhausting process, after all.

Grimm would have to entrust the acolyte with Scarlet as they venture off throughout the kingdom to harvest the flames from several Grimmkins that are scattered throughout, as part of their duty to guard the flames should a Ritual ever occur. If flames are successfully collected, the acolyte would then return to the troupe master with the child, who has consumed some of the flames. They would then engage in a dance, of some sort. Battles make the flame stronger, and this speeds up the growth process for the child. Then, the Ritual would continue until they collected the last dying flames of the kingdom.

And then…

"Your Majesty!"

Grimm heard the familiar voice of Divine.

"No need for such formalities, Divine." He said with a chuckle. He turned around to see his friend. She looked… frazzled, if that was the right word. But her eyes also held frantic excitement inside them.

"As you wish. Er, Grimm… A Lantern has been set!"

This made Grimm stand up straight, not that he needed to look already tall. He was a rather daunting figure to look at: tall, and basically painted in scarlet. His cape, his horns, the eyes behind his mask… But then again, what is to be expected of a Nightmare King? "Some much needed news, indeed. Divine, tell me more, will you."

"The Lantern was set in a distant and desolate kingdom, Sir. The kingdom of Hallownest," she informed.

"Hallownest? Hmm, how interesting."

"Sir?"

Grimm knew of that kingdom. Many of his predecessors, including his own father, would make frequent visits to Hallownest. Grimm still remembered when the troupe visited while he was still a small larva, though not for purposes regarding a Ritual. Other affairs that he was left in the dark about. He was kind of surprised to hear about the fall of such a flourishing kingdom. But then again, ever since the Infection that took hold… Their demise was inevitable, and thus a Lantern was placed somewhere beyond their kingdom, should it ever occur.

And it finally happened.

"Prepare for travel to Hallownest. We depart as soon as possible. Divine, could you make sure the Grimmkins are ready? And the Grimmsteeds."

Divine bowed her head. "Of course, Grimm." And while made her exit, Grimm straightened his cape. His hand went over to his horns and gave an affectionate pat to Scarlet's head. She mewled quietly and shifted in her sleep. The start of a new Ritual to prolong the Nightmare Heart, and the aid of the development of his child.


	3. The Waltz of Shadow and Fire

The troupe had settled onto the Dirtmouth, a small and fading town far above the dying kingdom that was below them. As the Grimmsteeds lowered the tents, Grimm and his troupe prepared for the oncoming Ritual. They have yet to meet the one who had lit the Lantern. The little town was pretty empty. There were a few houses and shops nearby, an old well, a lone metal bench and a tall cliff to their left. The troupe set up two tents: the large one was for the main attraction, and the smaller one was for Divine, who had requested to have a separate tent for herself and to set up a shop.

"What in the Heart's name would you even sell to others, Divine?" Grimm had asked her, kind of confused as he got the Grimmsteeds and several Grimmkins to help set up the smaller tent. Divine covered her mouth and giggled.

"That is a secret I am determined on keeping, Grimm."

"Even from me?"

"Even from you."

Grimm had sighed. Divine had always been quite mysterious and weird. More so than him. "Very well, just try not to cause trouble for others."

"Me, cause trouble? Master Grimm, is that what you think of me?" Divine said and giggled.

"Might I need to remind you of what happened last time?"

"...No, not really."

The Grimmkins had finished setting up the tent and with a small wave, Divine slithered inside. Grimm sighed, and ushered the Grimmkins to finish up preparations of the main tent. He instructed a Grimmkin Novice to keep Scarlet properly entertained in the meantime. The small Grimmkin nodded its head and lead the small child away. The final preparations of the Ritual were just about done. The Grimmkins who guarded the flames had kept in touch with him, and reported of a small mysterious figure who was suspected to have lit the Lantern were on their way towards the town.

Grimm turned around and saw the old bug near the bench give him a look. It didn't look like a very nice look, too. In fact, the bug was glaring at him from his mask. That old geezer needs to relax, Grimm thought in amusement. He decided to try to put the old bug's nerves at ease and gracefully approached him. He gave him a small bow.

"What brings you to this old town?" The old bug asked him in a tense voice. The Elderbug of the town looked at the tents, lanterns, and signs that the troupe had placed. "You lot can't just bring an entire circus to town like that."

What an amusing fellow, Grimm thought. "I apologize, Sir. Rest assured, my troupe and I won't be here for long. We are waiting for a special individual. As soon as we are done with our… business, we shall make our depart."

The Elderbug Scoffed. "You better not cause any trouble for the townspeople here."

A petty warning from an old bug.

"My troupe and I promise that we won't disturb the bugs here, Sir." Grimm bowed again to the Elderbug and bid him farewell before returning to the tent. Inside, everything was all settled. He headed east towards his quarters and found Scarlet curled up in her premature wings and snuggled next to the Grimmkin Novice. After thanking the smaller kin, it bowed and left him alone with his daughter. In the distance, he heard Brumm play the same old tune on his accordion.

Deciding to leave Scarlet alone for her rest, he felt that a nap would do him some good. The trip from the Nightmare Realm to the Hallownest had been an exhausting journey for all the members of the troupe. Grimm perched himself upside down from the ceiling and wrapped himself with his cloak, and closed his eyes.

It must have been some time that he was asleep, because the voices in the distance seemed very muffled, and he stirred in his sleep.

"Should I wake him? There is someone approaching the tent, but I am not sure if it's the acolyte or just some passerby. I wouldn't want to disturb him for some random nobody." A female voice, most likely belonging to Divine. She glanced up at her master. He was resting peacefully, attached to the ceiling.

"Mrmm… Wake him up, anyway. Just in case. There is something particular about this individual."

"Very well. Master Grimm!"

Grimm's scarlet eyes finally opened, and he blinked the sleepiness away from them. His eyes locked his two friends below him. "What is the matter?"

"There is someone approaching the tent, Sir. It may be the acolyte," Divine told him. He nodded his head. In a puff of red smoke, teleported beside them.

"Very well, I shall deal with them myself. Thank you, you two. You may return to your usual duties. I'll give them a very welcoming entrance…" And Grimm disappeared in a puff of scarlet smoke once more. Divine and Brumm saw this as a cue to dismiss themselves. They nodded to each other and while Brumm stuck around the main tent to play his accordion, Divine left to her own tent.

In a few minutes, a small masked individual with horns wielding nothing but a tiny nail and donning a cloak walked into their tent. Grimm perched upside down, watched the creature's movement with his keen scarlet eyes carefully. He heard the sound of soft wings flapping beside him and saw that Scarlet was now awake. Perfect, just in time; the Ritual was about to begin. As instructed, Scarlet retreated into his cape for later.

This creature, the one who had lit the Lantern… it looked very familiar. He chuckled softly to himself. Ah yes, he knew of its kind. Hallownest's history was certainly impressive, but the kingdom was built upon treachery, and their ruler was an usurper, though Grimm knew better than to meddle into their business. But, the Pale Wyrm and his conflict with the Higher Being he knew all too well… The shining Light that had ruled over a tribe she had built had forgotten about Her and as a result, this kingdom suffered. He knew that the king had tried to find a Vessel capable to seal Her away, and thus he knew about all the failures, all the millions of discarded Vessels that he sealed away at the bottom of the world. Because of his actions, because of Her actions too, it gave the Nightmare Realm energy they had not experienced in a long time. Because of the things She had done to this kingdom, it created an opportunity for the Nightmare Realm. Gave it more fuel for the Heart, and everyone else in the troupe.

And now one of the few Vessels that had managed to crawl its way up from the Abyss was here in his tent. The one who lit the Lantern. It shall supply energy for his child, and for the Heart. Grimm watched as the Vessel made its way to Brumm first, stopping in front of him to listen. Brumm continued to play away.

"Mrmm. You called us?" He asked the small one. As such of its creation, it could not respond. Brumm played away on his accordion. "Speak to Master."

The Vessel walked forward and Grimm saw this as his cue to enter the stage. Upon his signal, the Grimmkins above played a drumroll while the other one controlled some stage lights and focused it at the centre, just beside the Vessel below. In a puff of smoke, he appeared before them.

"So, it was you who called us." His raspy low voice told them. "Well met, my friend. Well met. I am Grimm, master of this troupe. The Lantern has been lit, and your summons heeded. A fine stage you choose, this kingdom fallowed by worm and root, perfect earth upon which our Ritual shall take place." He straightened and looked at the Vessel. "As the lantern flared your role was cast, our compact written in scarlet fire. Eager we are to see you commence, but first, some illumination is required…"

He snapped his fingers and in a small puff of red smoke, Scarlet appeared above his hand, her tiny wings flapping softly. From Grimm's cloak, he took out a red charm and handed it over to the Vessel. "Across these lands my kin now spread, harvesting that essence peculiar to my... breed, the flame in dream. Seek my kin; claim their flame and return it to me. Together, marvels shall be achieved. But don't fret small one. For this task you won't travel alone."

Scarlet flew over to the Vessel's side. "My child shall guide you to the flame and gather within itself that burning essence. Like you, the child plays a key role in this task. Only with it by your side will the flame, and my kin, reveal themselves to you."

Grimm was a little nervous, handing over his child to a complete stranger but these actions were necessary for the Ritual. As of now, he was relying on a complete stranger to look after his daughter as she guides them to the other Grimmkins who have collected the flames of this kingdom. So there was no time for hesitation, he was confident the Vessel would comply with the Ritual. Grimm saw the Vessel put on the charm on their cloak and with a small nod of his head, he disappeared back into his quarters in a puff of smoke. The Vessel went to Brumm again to see if there were any additional instructions.

"The flame. Seek it out. For Master. For our kin. Mrmm." Was all he had to say on the matter. The Vessel and Scarlet exited the tent in search for the flames of the kingdom.

The Pale Wrym did appear to have crafted such fine Vessels that worked efficiently, because in about an hour, Brumm had informed Grimm that the first 3 flames had been consumed by Scarlet. Grimm was impressed that the Vessel had managed to collect them in such a short amount of time. He had to commend their inner strength and determination. A shame that the Pale King tossed them out into a bottomless pit.

The Vessel entered the tent with Scarlet by its side and went back to listen to Brumm for some instructions. "...Mrmm. Very good. The child burns with flame. Master... is waiting for you. Mrmm."

The Vessel returned on stage and Grimm appeared dramatically before them once more. "I can feel it. The warmth of the flame you've gathered together. A masterful opening act. The air hums with excitement. Dear child, you've done so well. Let your fire burn even brighter!" He praised. He then snapped his fingers and before the Vessel's very eyes, Scarlet was transformed with the flames she had consumed. Her body had grown longer, and so had her wings.

"Beautiful, yes. The child has grown, from idle youth to deadly companion. About these dangerous lands, its aid will no doubt be welcome. Just don't neglect our dance, for it too continues! Keep hunting that scattered, scarlet essence. When the child is filled with flame once more, return to the stage and the performance will begin." Were his final instructions to them before disappearing quickly. With her newfound strength, Scarlet would be able to help protect the Vessel from the empty mindless husks that plagued Hallownest.

The Vessel looked at its map, locating the flames thanks to the power of their charm. After that, they cast Scarlet a silent, contemplative look before the duo exited the tent. Grimm teleported to where Brumm was playing his accordion, that same endless song.

"The acolyte has done very well, thus far. Scarlet has grown stronger, praise the Heart."

Brumm nodded his head. "Very well indeed. Mrmm."

Amongst their small talk, Divine had slithered into the main tent at some point. "Little Scarlet and the acolyte make quite a good team. I'm impressed, they are a force to be reckoned with. Such strength!"

"Yes, I am quite proud of the duo. With the acolyte's efficiency, I would expect them to be back within the hour. In the meantime, I say we prepare the stage for our performance, shall we?" Grimm suggested. Divine nodded her head enthusiastically.

"I shall inform the Grimmkins of the plan!" She said merrily while slithering to fetch them. Grimm nodded his head and went back to his quarters, preparing himself for their dance. They would be here really soon…

As expected, the Vessel returned with Scarlet quickly. In fact, it had taken them less time to locate the flames from his kin. They must have some method to fast travel in this kingdom. Well, this was good news. That means they can proceed with the performance. Grimm appeared as soon as the Vessel entered the stage.

"Wonderful. Wonderful! My kin arrive and the time has come." He lifted his wings up and like a reflex, Scarlet flew towards it and then he covered her up. Yes, this feeling! He burned with newfound energy. Scarlet was growing stronger, and this needed to continue. The dance of passion will ignite and the flames will grow ever more powerful. "This searing fire... It carries well the Ritual's promise."

He snapped his fingers and the curtains lifted, revealing that both of them were standing in the middle of a stage with an audience of Grimmkins at the back. The murmuring of the crowd intensified. The Vessel was unresponsive, as expected. They didn't, and couldn't, emote much due to the nature of their creations, Grimm knew that.

"Dance with me, my friend. The crowd awaits. Show them you are worthy of a starring role!" He proclaimed to the Vessel. This was it, the epic performance everyone was waiting for. Once their dance was over, the first half of the Ritual would be considered completed. The gates behind them closed, and the dance was underway.

Grimm bowed to them, his entire body dipping down in both gratitude and respect. He was thankful they willingly agreed to participate in the Ritual and though they didn't know what it was for, Grimm did. This would make his daughter and the Heart stronger. And although it was horrible to find power through the fear and suffering of others, this was in their nature. To Grimm's surprise, the Vessel tipped its head down too. Grimm blinked, somewhat a little shocked but then felt himself smile. The audience behind them were also a little surprised, their excited whispers echoing throughout the stage. Vessels were supposed to be empty beings, and yet… There was something unique about this one.

After they were finished bowing, they engaged in the dance.

And it was a very passionate and powerful dance that excited and inspired the crowd. Everyone watched in amazement as the Vessel leapt in the air and dodged Grimm's attacks, his powerful nail glistening in the scarlet light. Grimm was impressed as the Vessel got many hits on him and although they hurt bad, this was necessary. It showed the strength and resolve this little Vessel had. Many amazing feats it can achieve! The stage lit up with scarlet fire and the little shadow managed to maneuver past them very well, and with such ease and agility. Though clearly Grimm had the advantage of height and mobility, the little Vessel kept up with him very well.

And their dance came to a stop when the Vessel struck Grimm with a powerful blow. Grimm exploded in a mess of red liquid that soon dissipated into the air. He was gone for a few seconds but soon reappeared before bowing his head in deep respect to the Vessel. The audience gave them a standing ovation and the little Vessel also bowed. The Grimmkins were filled with energy and excitement, their enthusiastic chatter about the dance filled the room.

The Vessel then pulled out a tool from under their cloak, and Grimm's scarlet eyes lit up with both mild shock and curiosity. They wielded some sort of powerful tool, and the Vessel struck Grimm with it, but not with intent of hurting him. Grimm was impressed: this Vessel was the current wielder of the Dream Nail. This was excellent, the final steps of the Ritual can be realized.

"Bravo, my friend. Hear how the crowd adores you! They've not seen such a show in a long time," Grimm told the Vessel, pleased. He snapped his fingers and the curtains lowered, and the room was dim once more. Scarlet appeared in a red smoke, her new form looking more impressive. Her growth was progressing quite nicely. Her body was now a nice red colour, and a new pair of appendages on her back appeared. Her wings were almost complete!

"Look here! How our child has grown, nourished and strengthened by the heat of our passionate dance! The two of you will feature in many tragedies and triumphs together, I'm sure!" he said affectionately. "And so our great Ritual nears it end. Will you continue to harvest the flame, even though now you surely see the path it illuminates for us? Our scarlet eyes will watch you keenly... friend."

Scarlet flew to the Vessel's side and seeing as the Ritual was almost complete, he had to be prepared for their final dance together. Grimm disappeared in another dramatic puff of scarlet smoke, speaking to the Vessel in the darkness, giving them their final instructions.

"Go out into the darkness. Harvest the last lingering embers of this Kingdom. Then return to me and we will complete our dance."

And with those orders, the Vessel and Scarlet were off. Once he was sure they were gone, Grimm went to talk with Divine and Brumm.

"The acolyte is the wielder of the Dream Nail," he told them. While Brumm did not say anything, Divine's eyes lit up.

"Ah, that's right. I saw them take it out from their cloak and strike you with it. They peered into your thoughts, your Essence… and you didn't mind, Grimm?"

He chuckled. "Not one bit. A little curiosity is good. I'm quite impressed with them. How did they acquire the Nail? That is quite a mystery. Though, it's a rather interesting experience having my thoughts intruded and poked around with by someone other than the Heart."

"Mrmm… So the Ritual is near its end," Brumm reminded them quietly.

"Yes quite right, my friend. I must head back to my quarters to prepare. Once they come back, just tell them to keep walking east of the tent. There, they will find me in my there, waiting for them."

"It shall be done."

"Good, and now I must be heading off."

Divine and Brumm watched as Grimm disappeared into his quarters.

"So the Ritual nears its end. Scarlet will soon be almost fully develop after the acolyte's final dance with the master. It's kind of a shame, really. As soon as the Ritual started, it is about to end. And plus that little Knight looks so intriguing. Did you know they owned 3 of these charms and paid me some Geo to upgrade them for it? There is something about them that's so interesting. And plus, I would have loved to explore the kingdom below this little town," Divine lamented.

Brumm nodded his head as he played his accordion. "Mrmm…"

The Vessel returned to the tent quickly with Scarlet by its side. When they couldn't find Grimm in hsi normal spot on stage, Brumm said nothing and simply gestured further east. They understood what he meant and headed towards Grimm's quarters. There, they found him asleep upside down, wrapped in his wings. Within him, scarlet nightmare Essence surrounded his body. And there was a faint sound of a heartbeat. Using their Dream Nail, the Vessel unsheathed it and swiped it at Grimm. There was a blinding red light and nightmare Essence erupted from Grimm's sleeping body.

The Vessel was transported to what appears to be the tent, but much smaller now. But they could tell, and feel, something was off. Something sinister was nearby. They looked beside them and realized the Grimmchild was no longer with them. Feeling slightly worried, they pressed forward. The sound of the heartbeat that they heard coming from Grimm was louder here and as they approached the next room, it grew louder with each step.

The entire room was a bright red stage with an audience of Nightmare Grimmkins behind. At the very centre of the stage up above, a heart with eyes. The beating of the Heart intensified and their eyes started glowing red. Something was inside of this Heart. The figure emerged from the Heart violently and the Knight who it was as soon as they jumped down onto the stage. It was Grimm, but he had a dramatically different appearance in his Dream or rather, in his Nightmare form. His horns were considerably taller, and his overall appearance was more red. Aside from his eyes, his cape and horns were all red.

Nightmare King Grimm, the twisted spectre of scarlet flame.

The Knight was about to bow when they saw Grimm mercilessly lunge at them and then proceeded with an uppercut before disappearing, unleashing a burst of 6 fireballs behind him. The Knight had no chance to recover and heal as Grimm's onslaught continued. His firebats tracked the Knight's movements with more precision, he wrapped himself in his wings to form a drill-like appearance and attempted to skewer him with his lance. Grimm hovered above the ground and summoned pillars of searing scarlet fire. He teleported in rapid successions to unleash a powerful attack each time. And finally his attack where he went centre stage to puff up into a ball and send out smaller fireballs at the Knight.

Each attack drew away the health of the Knight. But with perseverance, it studied his every move and attack and counterattack accordingly. The Knight response was with powerful counterattacks of their own. Eventually, this escalated into a frantic waltz of shadow and fire. The Grimmkins reacted accordingly. No need for applause or whispers. Their eyes lit up along with the Heart's as they felt the flame of the troupe master slowly start to burn out, and they quivered with excitement and anticipation.

The Knight delivered the final blow to Grimm and he screamed, the flames bursting from his body as they were transferred from his body to the Heart. Grimm was forced to retreat in a puff of smoke and the entire room was filled with a blinding scarlet light again. When the Knight woke up from their slumber, they saw that the tent of the troupe had vanished. They stood up and walked toward the Elderbug, who was back in his original spot near the iron bench.

"Ah ha! Good riddance! That creepy carnival has vanished and the town's returned to its former self, nice and quiet as I like it."

The Knight looked at the charm they had received from the troupe master. It looked very different from when it first got it. It was a vivid scarlet, with the eyes of what appears to be the Grimmchild fully awake with its strong scarlet eyes staring at them. Speaking of the Grimmchild, the Knight wondered if they were okay. It was probably back with their father, from wherever the troupe was from.

"Easy, Master Grimm! You're completely drained from the Ritual. You must take it easy and rest!" Divine advised. She, along with Brumm and several of the Grimmkins were holding Grimm up by his shoulders and arms as support as he struggled to even walk. They sat him down on his bed, where he panted heavily.

"Don't fret about me, everyone. I will be fine, trust me."

"Mrmm… Are you sure?"

Grimm nodded. "Yes, and besides… The Ritual was a success. Look here."

Everyone gathered around him as Scarlet emerged beside Grimm, her growth which had been rapidly and successfully accelerated by the Ritual. Her wings had grown and matured, her eyes finally lit up a nice scarlet colour, and her tail had grown longer. She mewled at the crowd and settled in-between her father's red horns, choosing that spot on his head to rest. They all burst into applause and cheers. Divine squealed happily and tackled Brumm and Grimm for a hug while the Grimmkins danced happily around them and cheered.

"Careful, please." But Grimm was smiling. He was happy. His daughter was healthy and nourished by his and the Heart's flames. The next few days are meant for celebration of Scarlet's growth, and a successful Ritual. But in the meantime, Grimm needed rest. After everyone left his room, he collapsed onto his bed. He was exhausted.

Scarlet flew and landed on his abdomen, curled up into her now mature wings and closed her eyes. Grimm wrapped his wings around Scarlet to cover her up and he too closed his eyes. Exhaustion took them both to sleep.


	4. Playing with Fire

Ever since the Ritual that took place in Hallownest a few years ago, Scarlet's growth had progressed quite nicely. With the Heart always supplying the troupe strength, she had grown through some changes. Her tail disappeared and instead was replaced with legs, making her a little taller now. Additionally, her horns had grown a little longer and here wings were now acting as a cloak. The flame inside of her burned stronger each day.

Since she was old enough, Scarlet had been trying to learn some tricks that her dad could do with fire. Being a pyrokinetic, she could summon flames at will. The only problem was that she didn't really know how to get them properly under control. The first time she had tried to summon fire, she almost set her room in flames and luckily her dad wasn't there to witness that potential disaster. This time, Scarlet wanted to do it the right way. She was super inspired seeing her dad able to juggle those fireballs so easily, tossing them into the air lightheartedly and doing cool tricks with them. He could summon fire bats and even disperse them as he teleported. If he was really upset, he could leave trails of fire behind him, and that was scary to witness.

The only thing she could easily was spit fire from her mouth, but her dad could too. That is the most basic moveset for them. Scarlet wanted to be like her dad. To have proper control of her flames and be able to do neat things with them and impress others. She was the princess of the Nightmare Realm, so she should be able to things like these! She is a Higher Being and therefore, is a being with immense power. She has to do this!

"Okay, I can do this." She cupped her hands together and concentrated on creating a small fireball within. She made some sparks and the flame attempted to form but then immediately fizzled out. Determined and stubborn, she tried again. Still nothing. Scarlet groaned in frustration.

"Scarlet, what seems to be the matter?"

Scarlet stopped what she was doing and looked at the doorway. Peering from outside stood Grimm, his red towering figure looking at her in concern.

"Oh hey, Dad." She sighed, watching as he graciously made his way over to her.

"Is something trouble you, child?" He asked.

"Yeah, um…" She cupped her hands and attempted another shot at making the fireball. Still no good. "I'm trying to summon my flames, but I'm having some trouble doing so. I was hoping if you could provide me with some help."

"Of course." He offered a seat and they both sat down on the floor. Holding out his left hand, he put his thumb and index finger together and with little effort, summoned a small scarlet flame between his two digits. Scarlet watched on in awe.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

Grimm blinked. "It's real simple, Scarlet. You concentrate on the how much of the flame you want to summon. Focus, and stay calm. With that amount of control, you can summon the tiniest flame, or create giant fireballs. Just relax, and concentrate."

Scarlet nodded, and took a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she cupped her hands together and focused real hard. She thought about what size she wanted the flame to be, as well as its intensity. She let the flame inside her body flow nicely throughout and concentrated that energy onto her hands. Her hands felt very warm. Meanwhile, Grimm watched her with keen red eyes.

"There, see? That wasn't that bad, now was it."

Scarlet opened her eyes and gasped. A medium sized fireball was floating in her hands. She had done it. She laughed softly, looking at the flames and feeling very happy with herself. "Wow, I guess I did it."

"I'm proud of you, Scarlet."

"Thanks, Dad." Scarlet smiled. She felt energized: she wanted to learn more. "Can you teach me how to do more cool things with fire? Please?"

"Hmm, maybe later. I have to work on a few things right now."

"Aw, really? Can't that wait?"

Suddenly, the fireball in Scarlet's hand ignited with life. She tried to will it to calm down, but it only grew stronger.

"Scarlet, calm down and get rid of the flame."

"Um, I'm trying?" She tried again, but the flame grew bigger. "Um, Dad?"  
"Scarlet-"

And the fireball grew so big that it exploded right in Scarlet's room. A few things were caught on fire and with Scarlet now in a panicked state, the objects on fire burned more.

"Scarlet, turn off your flame!"  
She screamed. "I'm trying!"

Grimm snapped his fingers, summoning some Grimmkins who instantly teleported inside of Scarlet's room and were quite terrified seeing the state of her room, the flames quickly spreading. They danced around Grimm and Scarlet in a frenzy.

"Well, don't just stand there! Help us stop the fire!" He yelled at them. The Grimmkins bowed their heads quickly and went over to the fire to help extinguish them. Grimm looked at Scarlet with a rather stern expression on his face. "You'll have to practice on learning to control your flames better, Scarlet. You can't go off setting places on fire!"

"Wow thanks, Dad. You think?"

The rest of the afternoon was spent extinguishing the fire in Scarlet's room and making sure it did not spread to other places in the palace.


	5. The Prankster

"Hey, Dad! Let's hang out together. I want to practice my flame abilities more. Can we? Please?"  
"Hmm? Oh, Scarlet. I'm sorry, but I'm a little busy right now."

"Can't this stuff wait a bit?"

"Mmm, not really."

"Dad, come on."

"Look, I promise that when I'm done with all my work, I'll spend some time with you. In the meantime…" Grimm snapped his fingers and summoned a small group of Grimmkin Novices and ushered them absentmindedly at her. "You keep Scarlet occupied and entertained while I work. And when I'm done, I'll keep her company. Off you go."

They bowed their heads and lead Scarlet away from Grimm's room and into her own room. "Are you guys serious? I can't spend some time with my own father? Come on."

"Princess, your father has a few important things to take care off," one of the Grimmkins told her. "Once he is finished with them, then he'll spend some time with you. So in the meantime, please be patient."

"We're fun to hang out with!" Another Grimmkin chirped. "You won't want to sit in the same room as him while he's doing work, trust us on that. Not only does it get super boring and awkward, but the silence is also just… Unsettling."

Scarlet giggled. "Really, now."

"Yup." The face of yet another Grimmkin suddenly lit up like a bulb. It started quivering with excitement. "Oh, I know. Want to play a game, in the meantime? It'll keep you busy."

"Sure," she said. A game sounded fun. "What kind of game?"

The Grimmkin who suggested it floated towards her. "Weell, not a game per say… More like, pulling pranks on others..."

"Pranks?" Scarlet thought about it, and she hesitated. "Isn't that not a good idea?"

"Well, not if we don't get caught. We'll be extra careful."

"Hmm. Okay, why not. Sounds kind of funny, actually." Scarlet said with a smile.

The group of Grimmkins cheered. One of them took her by the hand and lead her off so that they can start their array of pranks on the troupe. Their first destination was downstairs, by the entrance of the palace. They found Brumm in his usual spot, playing his accordion. Scarlet saw one of the Grimmkins whisper to another and that one went teleporting somewhere.

"Where are they going?" She asked.

"To get some superglue."  
"Superglue?"

The Grimmkin nodded.

"So, how are we pranking him?"

"One of the Grimmkins went off to fetch some superglue so that we can superglue Brumm's accordion to the bench," it said.

Scarlet gasped. "That's so mean! Why would you do that?"

"It's just a harmless prank, I'm sure he won't mind. Besides, it's a good way to keep people on their toes," they further explained. Scarlet thought about that for a second. She supposed did that make sense. But then again, she thought of the plan again and realized the logic wasn't exactly there.

"Okay…" But she was still pretty hesitant about this.

The Grimmkin giggled. "Great! Let's get started, then!"

The Grimmkin who went off to fetch the glue returned a few minutes. They all discussed that one of them go and distract Brumm and lead him away from his bench while the rest of them glued his beloved instrument on said bench. Their plan was formulated and Scarlet watched as everything played out. One of the Grimmkins teleported and alerted Brumm of a disturbance somewhere.

"Shouldn't you tell tell King Grimm about this, not me?" Brumm asked the Grimmkin.

"I did, but he said to talk to you about it."  
"Mrmm, alright."

Brumm walked away from his spot as the Grimmkin lead him away while 3 other Grimmkins went over to the bench, one with a bottle of glue in their hands. They got to work right away, the trio of them giggling and shushing each other as they carefully glued the bench and stuck the accordion on it. They giggled some more and urged the others to hurry up. After that, they teleported back to where Scarlet was hiding.

"What now?" She demanded.

"Now, Princess? We wait for the magic to happen. Let's see his reaction."

A few minutes later, Brumm returned to his spot. He went over to the bench and picked up his accordion. Or at least he tried to.

"Mrmm…? Why can't I pick up my accordion?"

The Grimmkins burst into soft laughter as they watched Brumm struggle to pull the instrument off of the bench. Even Scarlet admitted that his reaction was pretty hilarious, even though she felt somewhat terrible for his ordeal. Sadly, she found herself giggling at poor Brumm's situation.

And out of this, her own reaction sparked. She felt her enthusiasm grow. "So, who's next?"

The Grimmkins clapped and cheered softly. They have successfully convinced their princess to do more pranks with them.

"Let's go misplace some of Divine's clothes!" Someone suggested. There was a soft murmur of agreement before heading towards Divine's quarters. Making sure she wasn't there, the Grimmkins and Scarlet looked through her wardrobe before finding some of her nicest clothes and Scarlet watched as the Grimmkins scattered them in various places throughout the castle. At one point, they were eavesdropping on Divine's conversations with Grimm and Brumm.

"Have any of you seen some of my dresses?"

Brumm shook his head. "Mrmm, I would assume they would be in your wardrobe."

"But that's the thing! Some of them are missing."

"Mrmm… Someone glued my accordion to the workbench and I can't get it off. This is very troubling indeed. Earlier, one of the Grimmkin Novices had reported something happening in the castle but when I went there, they were gone and I didn't see any disturbances… Maybe they were mistaken? They said they did consult with you beforehand about said disturbance before coming to me about it."

"How peculiar… No one told me about any disturbances whatsoever." Grimm had said. Scarlet and the gang hoped he wasn't onto them. But it kinda looked like he was.

Teleporting constantly to avoid Grimm who occasionally strolls about the halls of the castle, Scarlet and the Grimmkins went on to proceed with more pranks. Next, they managed to mix up the masks of the Grimmsteed twins and listened to their bickering from a distance when they tried to put their masks back on later.

"Hey, did you switch my mask earlier?"  
"No, did you?"  
"No, I didn't."  
"Liar!"  
"No, you!"  
"Why would you do that?!"  
"I DID NOT!"

And Grimm teleported to the chaos to deal with the twins, who explained that someone had switched their masks.

"Just calm down," he instructed and very easily switched them back. "This is strange. Brumm and Divine had reported similar incidents earlier. This is very bizarre…"

Scarlet giggled, attempting to stifle her laughs. "He's onto us."

"Yeah, come on. Let's get outta here."

They all teleported back to Scarlet's room.

It wasn't even a second after returning when Scarlet suggested something quite surprising to the group. "I think we should prank my dad."

Everyone looked to Scarlet, looking at her in pure bewilderment at her bold suggestion.

"We prank the other troupe members for fun, but pranking the Nightmare King… It seems very unwise to do so, don't you think, Princess?" One of them warned. All the Grimmkins appeared very nervous.

"Not if we don't get caught," she said mischievously. And in their mischievous nature, the Grimmkin Novices were instantly convinced to pull one prank on their king. This was their first prank on their king, so this was terribly risky but they had faith in their princess. With enough caution, they should be safe and they'll never get caught.

For this prank (and again, terribly risky), Scarlet suggested dumping a bucket of water on a poor unsuspecting Grimm while he took one of his naps. The Grimmkins were quite shocked by the suggestion. Incredibly bold and almost evil…! Their poor king. So while they found Grimm fast asleep on one of the couches in his giant room, Scarlet and 3 Grimmkins hovered above Grimm's head, a bucket of water ready.

"Shhh, come on! Do it!" One whispered. The others snickered, and Scarlet was trying not to die of laughter. They all had to be quiet but with the Grimmkins here, it was proving rather difficult keeping it together.

"Okay, on the count of three. One… Two… Three…!" She said.

The 4 of them simultaneously tipped the bucket and it splashed directly on the king's head and made a mess everywhere else.

"Holy!-" one of the Grimmkins started.

"Run away!" Scarlet said and all of them teleported back to Scarlet's room just in time to hear Grimm's signature piercing screech. They all burst into uproaring laughter. Within a few seconds, there was a large puff of smoke and the Nightmare King himself appeared in her room, all scarlet red and majestic.

"IT WAS YOU!" He shouted, pointing at Scarlet.

Scarlet snickered at her father's state. His body was drenched in water, and it was dripping everywhere onto the carpet. He wasn't looking very majestic and intimidating this time, though. She cheekily waved at him. "Um, greetings Father."

"Not another word from you!" He commanded with a surprisingly angry voice. Grimm was hardly angry with his daughter, but today was a little too much. Scarlet flinched at his tone. He angrily flipped his cloak and death glared the Grimmkins. "And the lot of you! You all better get out of the room this very instant, or I'll smite you!"

The Grimmkins squeaked in terror and fled the room.

Scarlet stood up instantly. "It wasn't entirely their fault, Dad. I planned the prank on you... "

"And for that very reason I am disappointed in you, Scarlet. What business do you have with the Grimmkins, performing childish pranks on me? And I'd want to guess that it was you and the Grimmkins pranking everyone else too, am I not correct?"

"Okay for pranks in general, it was entirely their idea. Hey, you said you wanted them to keep me entertained, did you not?"

It was rather bad talking bad to Grimm because his red eyes flashed dangerously. Scarlet felt the room getting warmer by the second. That wasn't a good sign. "Are you implying that I am to blame for this?!"

"What?! No! Where did you get that assumption from?" She yelled.

"Until I know exactly what punishment to bestow upon you, you are grounded, young lady! That means no practicing your flame abilities, or any other tricks."

"What?! That's not fair!"

"Do you think it was fair pranking everyone?"

"..."

Grimm turned away. "I thought so."

In a puff of smoke, he was gone before he could set her room on fire from his anger. Scarlet pouted to herself, sitting down on her bed cross-legged. But she was still rather shocked to hear her dad yell at her. He was never one to anger easily. First time for everything, she supposed.

"Little Scarlet was the one behind the prank on you? How bold of her!" Divine had said, trying very hard not to giggle.  
"It wasn't very funny, Divine."

"I'm sorry, Grimm. But it is rather funny picturing her dumping a bucket of water on your head. My, the prankster she has become!"

"The Grimmkin Novices are rather bad influences on her, I suppose."

"At least she wasn't the ringleader of the pranks on everyone else," Brumm added. He had finally somehow managed to pull free his accordion, from the help of Grimm. "Mrmm, but she did not stop these pranks from happening." Divine managed to retrieve all her missing clothing, though it took some time.

"That is rather upsetting," Grimm added.

"Oh, don't be so hard on her, Grimm. She's still so young. Most children are filled to the brim with mischief and filled with energy. Go a little easy on her, will you? I'm sure she didn't mean for this to happen. Or rather, she didn't know any better how things would have escalated."

"...Perhaps," he admitted.

"You should go talk to her," Divine said.

And that's what Grimm did. After calming down, he went up to her room and the two talked and reconciled. They spent the rest of the time practicing some fire magic, and Grimm went to get his violin and play some of his favourite songs to Scarlet. They spent the rest of the night cuddling and they eventually fell asleep in each other's embrace.


	6. A Delicate Gift and Precious Memories

"Hey, Dad?"

It was one of those days were Scarlet and Grimm were hanging out in her room, taking time to themselves to wind down and relax, enjoying each other's company in silence. She was glad that he was spending more time with her. Usually, he was always quite busy. These days, he suspiciously waas having more free time. Not that Scarlet was complaining, of course. More time with her dad was always good. He barely turned his head to acknowledge her. Grimm simple closed his eyes and leaned more into her. He also sounded way more tired these days.

"Hmm?" His voice also sounded a little more raspier than usual, Scarlet noticed.

"...Can you tell me a bit more about my caretaker during the Ritual?" At this, he straightened up. He needed some time to contemplate this. Should he bother to tell Scarlet of their origins? A being born of God and Void, a progeny of the Pale Light and the spawn of a radiant Root.

"They were a rather interesting individual," he recalled. "They could not speak, and yet there was something about them that spoke more than words ever could. They were powerful, and regal in their own way."

"I recall faint memories of accompanying them around the kingdom," Scarlet said.

Grimm nodded his head. "That is correct. They were tasked by me to collect flames from their kingdom for you, and they did it with no complaints. Something that I am quite grateful for… They seem to carry the burdens of the kingdom on their shoulders, however. Hallownest has quite a troubling history, especially concerning the Pale King, the Vessels, and the sister of our ancestor, The Radiance… Are you ready to hear such atrocities that eventually lead to the kingdom's downfall?"

Scarlet nodded her head confidently. "I am."

"Very well, then. A long time ago just after the Dream and Nightmare realms were split apart, The Radiance created a tribe to worship her; the Moth Tribe. Now fast forward to a Pale Wrym who ended up on the outskirts of Hallownest. He became king and granted the bugs of the kingdom their own minds to think. The Moth tribe turned their back on their creator and She was almost forgotten entirely, at least until some bugs started remembering her. She infected their dreams from the Realm and started a dreadful Infection. To put a stop to it, the Wyrm and his Lady created many Vessels in attempt to find one that was pure and hollow. There were millions of failed attempts and the failed Vessels were thrown into the bottom of the world, locked away from everyone else. He eventually found one deemed to be perfect, and they were proclaimed as The Hollow Knight; the Pure Vessel chosen to seal away The Radiance. They were locked away in the Temple of the Black Egg. Three individuals were chosen to be put under an eternal sleep to forever lock away the Vessel. They were referred to as the Dreamers. Alas, it was all in vain as the Vessel was somehow not as hollow as presumed and The Radiance managed to control them from within and unleash the Infection that eventually destroyed Hallownest. And many years later, the individual who was your caretaker, one of the many failed Vessels who somehow escaped the Abyss, was called back into the kingdom to put a stop to the Infection… Ever since we left Dirtmouth years ago, I do not know of the Vessel's fate. I wonder how they are doing now."

"I hope they are okay," Scarlet said.

"As do I. Out of their creation, they were not allowed to speak, have their own will, or emote at all. But somehow, your caretaker is probably not as hollow as they were created to be, just like the Pure Vessel once was. I do hope they are okay and safe," Grimm said.

"Can we visit Dirtmouth?"

Finally, Grimm turned his head to look at Scarlet. All he could see was the determined look in her eyes. She certainly was stubborn and there really was no use arguing with her. "Very well. Let us get going, then."

Scarlet and Grimm didn't need to entire troupe to come along, since there was no Ritual whatsoever going on. So while everyone else remained in the palace, the duo made their way to Dirtmouth. When Grimm and his troupe were here many years ago, the town was empty and nearly fading. Now, there were a lot more bugs roaming around and chatting with one another. Something had definitely happened. By the iron bench that was still there after all these years, Grimm saw the Elderbug of the town still standing beside it, clutching something white in his hands. When he saw the two approaching him, his eyes lit up with fear.

"Oh no, it's you." Elderbug stepped away from them. He eyed them both fearfully, but his eyes fell to Scarlet. "And there's another one of you? What are you doing here?"

As gracious and as polite as he always was, Grimm bowed his head at the Elderbug. "Do not mind us, Sir. We are not here to cause any trouble for you or the citizens here. We simply came to pay a visit to the town."

Elderbug was as suspicious as always, glaring lightly at Grimm. But then his eyes trailed off to Scarlet. "And I want to assume that this individual here is…?"

"My daughter." At this statement, Elderbug's glared lessened. He was quite shocked that this scary man could be a father but appearances can be quite deceiving, he supposed. Anyone who could take up the role of a parent are heroic and selfless, since they would do anything for their child.

"Hmph, very well. As long as you don't cause any disturbances in town. If you do, I'll have to report you to the Queen."

"The Queen? Isn't the old queen of Hallownest…?"

"Not the White Lady, no. This young lass… She's the stepdaughter of Pale King, a fierce protector of these lands. She's our new Queen of the kingdom."

"Ah, I see."

Scarlet was quickly getting bored with their conversations and was about to go exploring this little town when her eyes quickly settled onto the white flower that the Elderbug was holding delicately in his hands.

"Excuse me, but where did you get that flower? It's very beautiful."

The Elderbug smiled. "It is, isn't it? It was a gift from someone quite special, many years ago. A traveller that arrived from the cliffs outside of the kingdom."

Scarlet had an idea of whom he may be talking about and politely asked him to tell her a bit more about them.

"The traveller was quite peculiar. They never said much, and carried nothing but a nail on their back. They were a warrior, I believe. They had a fierce and intimidating aura behind those black eyes of theirs and yet despite that, they had a kindness to them that is rare to find in others. They got this flower for me. I waited for them to come back from their perilous journey, but they never returned," The Elderbug told her. Grimm didn't say anything and instead listened intently from behind Scarlet.

"Do you know what happened to them?" She asked.

"They didn't survive their quest, unfortunately. They put an end to the Infection, apparently. Going right to the source of the plague itself, inside the mind of their sibling. It was so unbelievable when the Queen explained it to me. Something about entering their sibling's mind through a nail that could access dreams and otherworldly realms. Anyway, they defeated the goddess responsible for the demise of the kingdom and saved us all, sacrificing themselves to save what little remains of the dead kingdom. With the few remaining bugs who survived, decided to name Dirtmouth as the new capital of Hallownest. As we speak, the kingdom is slowly making progress of rebuilding. And of course, we have our new monarch of Hallownest. A brave young lady who aided the traveller in stopping the Infection."

Scarlet blinked in shock and felt something of sadness weigh on her chest. She couldn't help it, and let a few years escape. They rolled down from her red eyes and down her cheeks.

"Little one, are you alright?" Elderbug asked. Scarlet nodded and didn't reply, though. Grimm put both hands on her shoulders in comfort.

"If you remember when I first arrived in this town with my troupe, you may have seen a small creature following the traveller around. Well, that small individual was my daughter. The traveller was their caretaker. They had a special bond with each other, you see."

Elderbug's face lit up. "Oh, I do remember seeing the little one accompany them at that time. So, that was you? Hmm, not so little anymore, I see. You've grown up quite nicely, young one."

Scarlet wiped her eyes and managed a small smile.

"If you want, there is a small memorial in their honour. It was where the Temple of the Black Egg used to be. For some reason after the Infection was stopped, the entire temple seemed to have disappeared. I guess it did that since there is no real use for it anymore. You can go and pay your respects, if you'd like," he said.

"Yes, please."

Down the well Scarlet and Grimm went into the old kingdom of Hallownest. Just east of the Forgotten Crossroads, there were some bugs already busy with rebuilding of the lands. As they passed by, they got some strange and fearful looks. It wasn't hard to find the memorial. There was a statue of where the temple used to be. A statue of the traveller, majestic even though they were so tiny, with their pure nail in their right hand. On the statue it read:

_Memorial to the Little Ghost_

_Through the heroic sacrifice of the Knight, Hallownest is saved._

Scarlet sat down by the feet of the statue in silence for a long time. Grimm watched her for awhile and at some point, walked up beside her and took a seat next to her to also pay his respects. The two didn't say anything for a long time. Scarlet sighed deeply and cuddled close to Grimm's cape. He opened his cape and hugged her gently with it. His warmth was indeed comforting. They probably stayed there for about an hour or so in mournful silence. But Grimm could tell that Scarlet was taking this quite hard.

"We should get going, Scarlet."

"Just a few more minutes. Please?"

"...very well."

And a few minutes later, they both teleported back to Dirtmouth.

"Well, we should get going." Grimm told Elderbug. The old bug seemed less terrified of Grimm now, which was a good sign.

"Have a safe trip…" And he watched as Grimm lead Scarlet away by the hand. He saw how broken and sad the young child looked and then he looked at the flower. He had an idea. Something to lift her spirits. "Wait a minute!"

The Elderbug jogged to them, and panted. He presented the flower to Scarlet, who could only look at him with confusion.

"Here, take the flower as a little souvenir. And when you take it, think nothing but good thoughts. Of your caretaker, your bond with them, and your adventures together."

"But they gave it to you."

"An old bug such as myself has no real use for it. And plus, I'm sure you'll need it more than me."

"...Thank you so much."

Elderbug bowed his head. "Just be careful with it. It's quite the delicate little thing."

Scarlet nodded her head fiercely. "I will."

As she walked away to prepare for the journey home, Grimm bowed his head again to the old bug. "Thank you, my friend." Elderbug nodded his head and watched as the duo disappeared in a small puff of red smoke.

Back home, Scarlet found a vase and carefully placed the white flower in it.


	7. The endless dance

"Ah, Troupe Master Grimm... What brings you here?"

Scarlet took a reverent bow to the new queen of Hallownest. "Nothing much, your Highness. I'm just paying my respects."

Scarlet turned her back to Hornet and stared at the statue of her caretaker with a certain longing in her scarlet eyes. Her right hand automatically went to her chest and she fiddled with the pin that was attached to her cape, a sort of habit she had developed whenever she was feeling sad and lonely. The pin was a sort of parting gift she had received years ago from her dad.

This was one of her annual visits to Hallownest: to pay her respects at the monument of her caretaker where the Temple of the Black Egg used to stand. Visiting this old kingdom made her feel extremely lonely. A constant reminder that she was older now, and more alone than she had thought. A few years ago, her father's flames had finally burnt out for good and were reabsorbed into the Heart, and he became one with It. It didn't help that by visiting the memorial of the saviour of Hallownest, it reminded her that she had lost the 2 most important people in her life.

With her father gone, Scarlet was the new Nightmare King. In the mortal world, she was the new troupe master that would have to continue on with the tradition of collecting flames from dead kingdoms so that her future child grows up healthy.

"Did you know Little Ghost personally?" The queen asked her. Scarlet nodded her head without looking at Hornet, her eyes still glued to the statue.

"I did. Many years ago when my father visited Hallownest, they were my caretaker." Scarlet didn't have to explain that her dad was here for the Ritual. That was something the queen didn't have to know and thankfully, she didn't pry on the subject.

The queen walked closer to the statue and stood next to the troupe master. "Little Ghost was my half sibling. Though I didn't know them all that well, it feels that I had truly lost what family I had left. My mother died, and now both my half siblings are gone," she said with sadness in her voice.

"My father had died years ago," Scarlet confessed to the queen. "And by visiting this memorial, it also serves as a reminder that they were also considered the only other family I had. I have my troupe, but that feeling isn't the same. I'm just grateful for them taking care of me while my dad was busy." She felt bad for saying that. Divine and Brumm had taken care of her ever since her father had passed and yet, that did not feel the same to her. Aside from her father, Little Ghost had looked after her. And like her father, they were gone.

"What similar circumstances we find ourselves," Hornet said with a sad chuckle. "I'm sorry for your losses, Master Grimm."

"You too," Scarlet replied in a soft voice. The 2 of them stayed at the memorial in silence for a bit before Scarlet let out a small sigh. She had things to do. First things first, she had to find a fading kingdom for her troupe to settle. "Well, it's always been a pleasure visiting Hallownest. But I'm afraid that I must be going now, your Highness. I bid you farewell…"

"Have a safe trip home, Master Grimm."

Scarlet bowed her head once more and disappeared in a puff of red smoke. She chuckled bitterly to herself. Home? She had a dead kingdom to find. Another reminder that her life would end eventually, just like her father's. An endless dance that all troupe masters were stuck in. She walked towards the tent where the troupe was set up at, but not before the Elderbug greeted her, looking content and relaxed for once by her presence.

"Hello, Scarlet. My, you've grown big, haven't you?" He sounded genuinely happy. It was true that she had grown. "I still remember when you were a small larva, flying by your caretaker's side. Now look at you, all grown up! You're so tall, young one."

Despite feeling depressed earlier, Scarlet managed a genuine smile. Elderbug was always one to cheer her up. "I'm not that young anymore," she insisted.

"Bah, nonsense! You'll always be Little Scarlet to me. Anyway, how have you been?" He asked her.

"Things have been quite strange," she admitted. "Feels lonely, now that my father… Well…" She trailed off.

Elderbug nodded his head solemnly. It was only quite recently when he started feeling comfortable around the old troupe master. "That's just the way of life, Scarlet. But you're a splitting image of him," he said contently.

Scarlet chuckled. She wasn't about to explain that basically all troupe masters looked the same when they are adults, no matter what.

"I miss him," she said while fiddling with the pin on her cape again.

"You'll get used to it, I suppose." Elderbug tried to console. "Death is just a part of life, young one."

"Indeed. Anyway, I must be going now. It is always nice to see you," Scarlet said while waving goodbye at him.

"Come back anytime, Scarlet!" He called back, also waving at her.

Scarlet chuckled bitterly. If only…

She walked back to the tent and was greeted by everyone. Divine, Brumm, and the Grimmkins. They all flocked around her excitedly.

"Welcome back, Master!" Divine chirped. Beside her, Brumm nodded his head in acknowledgement as he continued to play on his accordion. Classic Brumm. Some of the Grimmkins danced around her.

"Any signs of a Lantern that's been lit?" Scarlet asked the excited crowd.

"Not yet, Master Grimm."

Scarlet remained silent for a bit, pondering. "If that's the case, we make our return to the Nightmare Realm and wait until a Lantern has been lit."

Everyone got to work. The Grimmsteeds transported the tents and soon they traveled through from the mortal world to the world of dreams, across dimensions until they made it back home at the palace. The troupe noticed how quiet Scarlet had been throughout the entire trip. Usually, she was buzzing with excitement and had lots to say to everyone in the troupe. She was even more energetic when she was a child. Now, she seemed so… sombre, and introverted. Divine and Brumm had especially noticed this.

Once the troupe settled into the palace, Divine and Brumm approached her. "Your Majesty, are you alright? You were rather quiet throughout the whole trip."

"I'm fine," Scarlet said, smiling tiredly. Though she was young, Divine and Brumm remarked how old and tired she looked. That wasn't right for someone her age. Even her father had more spunk and energy to him back in the day. They watched as Scarlet walked away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Divine called.

"To my room."

Divine and Brumm shared a look.

"She's usually more cheerful," Divine said to Brumm. He nodded in agreement.

"Mrmm, it probably doesn't help that today is the death anniversary of both the old troupe master and her caretaker."

Divine sighed. "Ah, quite right. She'll get over it, won't she?"

"...eventually."

Scarlet entered her room and collapsed onto her bed, feeling all sorts of exhausted. She couldn't deal with anyone right now. She had to be alone. A wave of depression and loneliness crashed onto her and hit her quite hard. Scarlet missed her dad, and her beloved caretaker. Why did the world have to take those 2 away from her? The 2 people whom she truly loved and cared about.

_Death is just a part of life, young one._

She remembered Elderbug's words as she wiped her tears away. No, she had no time to cry over this. He was right, death is just part of the cycle of life. Everyone experiences death eventually. She had no time to cry over this, she was the Nightmare King! Scarlet had to set an example to her troupe. They were the embodiment of nightmares, people's deepest and darkest fears. Kings don't cry!

...right?

All her predecessors got through it, so that means that Scarlet could too. She mad to make them all proud. Though she feels like she could never live up to her father's name and legacy in the eyes of the troupe, she had to at least make an impression for herself. Something the troupe will remember her by, when the time is right and when she is gone from this world and one with the Heart. She smiled, already hearing her father's words.

"Oh sweetie, you're so hard on yourself sometimes." He would say. "I'll always be proud of you, no matter what you do."

He did speak the truth about herself, though. Scarlet was always quite hard on herself sometimes. She sighed, laying flat on her back as she stared up at the ceiling. She really missed her father very much, and him not being no longer there with her left a sort of aching void in her heart. It hurt very much, but she knew that it was just part of life.

There was a soft knock on her door.

"Your Majesty?"

Scarlet wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. "Yes, come in."

Divine didn't really enter the room but stuck her head in. "Your Majesty, a Lantern has been lit."

"Let's make haste to this kingdom then, shall we?" Scarlet said. She straightened her body a bit more and her scarlet eyes shimmered. So, a Lantern has finally been lit. They had been waiting for quite a while.

"Right away!" Divine said happily. "I'll go inform everyone and we'll be travelling shortly."

The troupe were busy buzzing about, setting up the tents and making final preparations for the trip. According to where the acolyte had placed the Lantern, it had been lit to a kingdom far from Hallownest. Almost on the other side of the world, in fact. The troupe didn't dally any longer and soon they were travelling between worlds and dimensions to reach this kingdom.

This kingdom was in fact, located in a desert. Perfect, as the troupe had no problem when dealing with heat. This climate would be the perfect place for the Ritual to take place. Scarlet could practically smell the decay in the hot winds of the kingdom. How this place had met its doom, was a complete mystery. Upon arriving at the kingdom and choosing a small town to settle in, Scarlet got to work with creating her child. Passed down by the memories of her father, she conjured up a firebat and shaped it so that it forms itself into an actual larva. The transformation was complete and in her hands laid the small creature, with its tiny body and new wings barely formed. It slept soundly, occasionally mewling and making adorable sounds. Scarlet showed the troupe, and everyone cheered. Divine had once again remarked that it was in fact, another girl.

"What are you gonna name her, Master?" She had asked.

There was no hesitation in her response. "Kaydence."

The Ritual will forever continue, like an endless dance.


End file.
